Algebra worksheet — GCSE Higher

1.A scout leader is 44 years old and one of the scouts is 16 years old. Work out how many years it will be until the leader is exactly twice as old as the scout.

2.Which expression means 'add 3 to n, then multiply the result by 4'?

3.A person's body mass index is given by the formula B = m ÷ h², where m is the mass in kg and h is the height in metres. Work out B, to 1 decimal place, when m = 68 and h = 1.6.

4.The graph of y = x³ − 5x is reflected in the y-axis. Work out the equation of the image.

5.To solve 6x − 4 = 2x + 20, Yusuf's first step is to subtract 2x from both sides. Work out what equation this gives.

6.A cycle route is 84 km long. Freya sets off along it at a steady 14 km/h. Write down the function for the distance y, in kilometres, that is still to be cycled after x hours.

7.The equation x³ − 3x − 4 = 0 has a root near x = 2. Four students each try a different iterative formula, all starting from x₀ = 2: xₙ₊₁ = ∛(3xₙ + 4); xₙ₊₁ = (xₙ³ − 4) ÷ 3; xₙ₊₁ = 4 ÷ (xₙ² − 3); xₙ₊₁ = xₙ³ − 2xₙ − 4. Only one of these formulas keeps producing values that settle near the root when it is repeated. Work out x₁, correct to 3 decimal places, for the formula that does this.

8.The first four terms of a sequence are 4, 9, 14, 19. Work out an expression, in terms of n, for the nth term.

9.Solve the inequality 5x − 3 > 2x + 9.

10.f(x) = x³ − 3x − 5. Given that f(2.2) = −0.952 and f(2.3) = 0.267, work out what this shows about the equation x³ − 3x − 5 = 0.

11.Work out the value of a² − 2b when a = −3 and b = 4.

12.A zip-line runs from a platform 25 m high to a landing point 5 m high, over a horizontal distance of 40 m. Work out the gradient of the zip-line.

13.The point (5, −12) lies on the circle x² + y² = 169, which has centre (0, 0). Work out the equation of the tangent to the circle at (5, −12), giving your answer in the form y = mx + c.

14.The first four terms of a sequence are 11, 18, 25, 32. Ravi thinks the nth term is 7n. Work out the correct expression for the nth term.

15.A cyclist's distance-time graph shows the following: she travels 12 km in the first 30 minutes at a steady speed, then rests for 30 minutes, then travels a further 8 km in the next 15 minutes. Work out her average speed, in km/h, for the whole journey.